Device for setting rivets in a wall whitch is accessible on one side only



Allg 11, 1964 F. M. E. NouvELET DEVICE FOR SETTING RIVETS 1N A WALL WHICH 1s AccEssILE oN ONE SIDE ONLY Filed June 6, 1962 .vaga

United States Patent O 3,144,158 DEVICE FR SETTING RIVETS IN A WALL WHKCH IS ACCESSIBLE N ONE SIDE NLY Flix M. E. Nouvelet, Paris, France, assigner to Gabin Daude, Paris, France, a joint-stock company Filed June 6, 1962, Ser. No. 200,483 Claims priority, application France June 13, 1961 6 Claims. (Cl. 21S- 43) The invention relates to those devices of the type which make use of the conventional method, especially in the aircraft industry, which consists in employing a tubular rivet fitted over a mandrel which terminates in a boss, so that by applying a tractive effort on the said mandrel, there is first produced a flaring-out of the inaccessible end of the rivet followed by a rupture of the mandrel at the point of lowest strength which is provided for this purpose in the vicinity of the said mandrel boss.

Known devices of this type are of the compressed-air or oleo-pneumatic operation type, with the result that they cannot be employed when a suitable compressedair source is not available on site.

The object of the present invention is to construct a device for setting rivets of the above-mentioned type which does not entail the use of a source of compressed a1r.

The rivet-setting device in accordance with the invention comprises a tubular body terminating in a nose which is bored axially to a diameter which is substantially equal to that of the mandrel, clamping means movable axially in the said body and adapted to grip the mandrel and apply a tractive effort on this latter, and a head coupled to the tubular body and to the said mandrel-clamping means by connecting means designed to produce a tractive effort on the said clamping means When the head of the device is caused to rotate while the nose of the said body is held against the rivet to be set.

In one form of embodiment, the head is so shaped as to be mounted inside the rotary nose of a machine such as a portable drill.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the perusal of the following description and from examination of the accompanying drawings which show one form of embodiment of the invention.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 shows in cross-section the first stage of the rivetsetting operation.

FIG. 2 shows, also in cross-section, the rivet when set,

FIG. 3 is a diametral cross-section of a device for the setting of rivets of the same type as that of FIG. 1, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are transverse cross-sections taken respectively along the lines IV-IV and V--V of FIG. 3.

The rivet which is illustrated in FIG. l and which is generally designated by the reference 1, is a conventional tubular rivet which is intended to be set in a wall to which access can be gained only on one side thereof. The said rivet is constituted by a tubular body 1a which terminates in a head 1b. Inside this rivet is fitted a mandrel which is generally designated by the reference 2 and is constituted by a cylindrical rod 2a having a diameter which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the tubular rivet, the said rod terminating at one end thereof in an annular boss 2b having a diameter which is greater than that of the rod 2a but smaller than the external diameter of the body 1a of the rivet, in such manner that the combined unit can be inserted in the orifices of the two parts 3, 4 to be rigidly coupled together.

The other end of the rod 2a is pointed as indicated at 2c so that the mandrel can be conveniently fitted into the rivet at the time of setting of this latter. The rod 2a of the mandrel is provided in the vicinity of the boss 2b with a portion 2d of smaller section which is intended to form a point of incipient rupture.

The device in accordance with the invention for the setting of rivets of this type comprises a tubular body 6, one end of which, being preferably of frusto-conical shape so as to facilitate the rivet-setting operation, is fitted with an added nose 7 which is bored axially4 to a diameter which is substantially equal to the diameter of the mandrel 2. In the example illustrated in the drawings, the nose 7 is added by screwing into the body 6.

In the interior of the body 6, there is mounted a tube 8 which is adapted to slide axially inside the said body without rotating with respect to this latter. For this purpose, a screw 11, which is radially mounted in a member 12 designed to be fixed by screwing in one end of the sliding tube 8, is housed inside a longitudinal slot 13 of the body 6.

The sliding tube 8 is urged towards the nose 7 by a coil spring 15, one end of which is applied against a cap 16 which is fixed by screwing in the opposite end of the body 6, while the other end is applied against a shouldered portion 12a of the member 12. The travel of the member 12 is limited, in that direction in which the said member is urged by the spring 15, by the abutment of the enlarged end of the said member against an internal shoulder 6a of the body 6.

That end of the sliding tube 8 which is located in the vicinity of the nose '7 is also of frusto-conical shape at least internally and contains two jaws 13, 18a (see also FIG. 5), the external surfaces of which have the shape of a portion of that frusto-conical surface which corresponds to the internal frusto-conical surface of the sliding tube 8. These two jaws are separated from each other by a certain clearance e, the width of which is such that the said jaws are capable of tightly gripping the cylindrical rod 2a of the mandrel when they are drawn towards each other under the action of axial displacement of the internal sliding tube 8. Those portions of the said jaws which are intended to come into contact with the mandrel are grooved or indented so as not to slip against this latter.

Those ends of the two jaws 1S, 18a which are located nearest to the nose 7 are so shaped as to be flaredout internally, in such manner that the said ends open out when they urged axially against the corresponding frustoconical end of the internal portion of the nose 7 under the action of a coil spring 21, one end of which is applied against the member 12 while the other end is applied against a special washer 22 having substantially the shape of a half sphere which bears against the ends of corresponding and complementary shape of the two jaws 18, 18a, in such manner that both ends of these latter have a tendency at the same time to move away from each other under the action of the spring 21.

One end of an operating screw 23 is secured, in the case of the present example, by forcible screwing into the end of the member 12 opposite to the sliding tube 8.

On the other end of the operating screw 23 there is fitted a nut which is constituted by two tiltable half-nuts 25a, 25b which are separated from each other by a space located in a diametral plane (see also FIG. 4).

The half-nuts 25a, 25b have jointly a portion of frustoconical shape which is housed in the corresponding frustoconical bore of a washer 26 which rests on the external surface of the cap 16 through the intermediary of a ball thrust-bearing 27. The said thrust-bearing 27 is held against the cap 16 by means of an annular flange 28 fixed on the corresponding extremity of the body 6 by means of point-screws such as the point-screws 29.

The portion of the nut 25 opposite to the frusto-conical end thereof has the shape of an annular bead housed in a hollowed-out portion 31 of a cylindrical part which terminates in a tail portion 33 of either cylindrical or conical shape which is intended to be fitted inside the nose of a rotary machine such as a portable drill, for example.

The two half-nuts 25a, 25b are maintained inside the hollowed-out portion 3l by means of cylindrical lockingpins 34a, 34b which are respectively at right angles to the axis of the nut and at the same time parallel to the plane of separation of the two half-nuts, the said lockingp'ins being housed in corresponding orifices 35a, 3511 of the member 32 and inside parallel grooves formed in the beading of the nut.

One end of a coil spring 36 is applied against the bottom of an axial recess 37 of the member 32, while the other end of the said spring is applied against the outer end face of the nut beading. The spring 36 therefore tends to open out the nut by moving the two half-nuts 25a, 25b away from each other in such manner as to free them from the screw 23 when the frusto-conical portion of the said nut is not engaged inside the washer 26.

A safety hood 38 which is attached to the member 32 by means of point-screws such as the point-screw 39, prevents the two half-nuts from moving too far apart and consequently from moving out of the hollowed-out portion 31 of the said member.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The rivet 1 which is to be set and which is fitted with its mandrel 2 is engaged inside the nose 7 of the device and applied in position by means of the body o against the members 3 and 4 to be rigidly coupled together. The member 32 `is caused to rotate as a result of the engagement of the tail portion thereof in the rotary machine while the body 6 of the device is held by hand. The nut 25 which is driven in rotation rotates while advancing along the screw 23 and is tightly held against this latter as a result of the clamping action applied by the frusto-conical bore of the washer 26. This rotary movement of the nut withrespect to the screw thus causes the internal tube S to slide in the direction which moves it away from the rivet, with the result that the jaws 18, 18a are forcibly applied by the internal frusto-conical surface of the said sliding tube against the corresponding end of the mandrel 2a. The said mandrel is thus subjected to a substantial tractive effort which compels the boss 2b of this latter to produce an expansion of the corresponding end of the cylindrical tubular body 1a of the rivet. When the said boss arrives substantially at the level of the rear surface of the members to be coupled together, the resistance to further movement which is offered by the mandrel boss becomes considerable, and consequently, the fatigue of the metal of the mandrel in the Zone of small section 2d exceeds the limit of resistance of the said mandrel. The contraction of cross-section of the mandrel increases suddenly and the mandrel 2a breaks off as illustrated in FIG. 2.

At this moment, under the action of the elasticity of the screw and nut assembly, this latter separates from the rusto-conical washer 26 and the spring 36 moves the two half-nuts apart, with the result that the nut is freed from the screw and that this latter suddenly moves back together with the member 12 and the internal tube 8 which contains the jaws; it accordingly follows as a result that these components revert to their initial position as illustrated in FIG. 3. The two jaws 18, 118:1 come again into contact with the internal frusto-conical extremity of the nose 7 and are consequently made to open out once again, thus making it possible to t another mandrel into position for the purpose of setting another rivet.

The rivet which is set has the appearance illustrated in FIG. 2, in which the portion 2a of the mandrel no longer serves any useful purpose and is therefore to be discarded.

It will naturally be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form of embodiment which has been described and illustrated and that modications can d be made therein without consequently departing either from the scope or the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Device for setting tubular rivets by pulling into the interior of the rivet a deforming member having an elongated shank and a deforming head, comprising, in combination,

(a) tubular body means terminating at its forward end in a hollow nose portion adapted to be pressed against the rivet while accommodating at least a portion of the shank of the deforming member, and having an open rear end;

(b) a combined clamping and pulling member longitudinally movable inside said tubular body means from an idle forward position toward a more rearward operative position, and comprising jaw means near said nose portion adapted to accommodate a portion of said shank of said deforming member when said combined member is in said idle position and automatically clamping said shank portion when said combined member is moved toward said operative position, and first biasing means for urging normally said combined member into said idle position;

(c) rotary drive means including a head member coaxial with said tubular body means and rotatable in one predetermined direction;

(d) nut-and-screw drive transmission means connecting said rotatable head member with said combined clamping and pulling member, said drive transmission means including a threaded spindle rigidly attached in axial position toy one of said members, and nut means mounted in the other one of said members, said nut means being composed of a plurality of threaded nut portions each movable between an operative position in which said threaded nut portions are in threaded engagement with said threaded spindle, and an inoperative position in which said nut portions are out of engagement with said spindle, and second biasing means for normally urging said nut portions into said inoperative position; and

(e) transmission control means arranged in operative connection with said nut means for moving said nut portions into said operative position thereof whenever pressure in axial direction is applied to said ro-v tary drive means while said nose portion is being pressed against the rivet, so that when the shank of a deforming member of a rivet is engaged in said hollow nose portion and pressure is applied in axial direction to said rotary drive means while said rotary head member is being rotated, first said drive transmission control means cause said nut portions to engage said spindle and thereby said clamping and pulling member is moved from its idle toward its operative position whereby first said shank of the deforming member is gripped by said clamping means and thereafter said shank is pulled until the-rivet is sufficiently deformed and thus set, and said shank is severed from the deforming member whereafter said combined member and said nut portions automatically return to their respective inoperative or idle positions.

2. Device for setting tubular rivets by pulling into the interior of the rivet a deforming member having an elongated shank and a deforming head, comprising, in combination,

(a) tubular body means terminating at its forward end in a hollow nose portion adapted to be pressed against the rivet while accommodating at least a portion of the shank of the deforming member, and having an open rear end;

(b) a combined clamping and pulling member longitudinally movable inside said tubular body means from an idle Vforward position toward a more rearward operative position, and comprising jaw means near said nose portion adapted to accommodate a portion of said shank of said deforming member when said combined member is in said idle position and automatically clamping said shank portion when said combined member is moved toward said opsaid rotatable head member, said nut means being composed of a plurality of threaded nut portions hingedly supported at one end in said head member and each being tiltably movable between an operaerative position, and rst biasing means for urging 5 tive position in which said threaded nut portions are normally said combined member into said idle posiin threaded engagement with said threaded spindle, tion; and an inoperative position in which said nut por- (c) rotary drive means including a head member cotions are out of engagement with said spindle, and axial with said tubular body means and rotatable in second biasing means for normally urging said nut one predetermined direction; portions into said inoperative position, said nut por- (rl) nut-andscrew drive transmission means connecttions having each a partly conical end portion oppoing said rotatable head member with said combined site to said one end thereof; and clamping and pulling member, said drive transmission (e) transmission control means arranged in operative means including a threaded spindle rigidly attached connection with said nut means for moving said nut in coaxial position to said combined clamping and portions into said operative position thereof when- 4Pllllling member, and nut means mounted in said ro ever pressure in axial direction is applied to said rotatable head member, said nut means being composed tary drive means while said nose portion is being 0f a plurality Of threaded mit portions each mOVable pressed against the rivet, said transmission control between an operative position in which said threaded means comprising an annular member surrounding nut Portions are in threaded engagement With said said threaded spindle and having an inner conical threaded spindle, and an inoperative Position in Which hollow actuating surface surrounding said conical said nut Portions are ont of engagement With Said end portions of said nut portions, said annular memspindle, and second biasing means for normally ber being supported in said tubular body means urgirlg said nut Portions into said inoperative Posiagainst pressure in axial forward direction but free tion; and to rotate in said body means so that when the shank (e) transmission control means arranged in Operative of a deferming member of a rivet is engaged in said eonneetion With said not means for moving said not hollow nose portion and pressure is applied in axial Portions into said oPeratiVe Position thereof Whendirection to said rotary drive means while said rotary eVer Pressure in aXial direetion is applied to said head member is being rotated, first said inner conical rotary drive means While said nose Portion is being surface of said annular member causes by acting on Pressed against the rivet, SO that When the shank of said conical end portions said nut portions to tilt and a deforming member of a riVet iS engaged in Said to engage said spindle and thereby said clamping and hollow nose Portion and Pressure is applied in axial pulling member is moved from its idle toward its direction to said rotary drive means while said rotary operative position whereby rst said shank of the head member is being rotated, first said drive transdeforming member is gripped by said clamping means mission Control means Cause said nut Portions to en" and thereafter said shank is pulled until the rivet is gage said spindle and thereby said Clamping and suliciently deformed and thus set, and said shank Pulling member iS moved from its idle toward its is severed from the deforming member whereafter operative Position Whereby first Said shank ofthe de' said combined member and said nut portions autoforming member is gripped by said Clamping means 40 matically return to their respective inoperative or and thereafter said shank is pulled until the rivet is idle positions, suilleiently deformed and thus set, and said Shank is 4. Device for settting tubular rivets by pulling into the severed from the deforming member Whereafter said interior of the rivet a deforming member having an eloncombined member and said nut portions automaticalgated shank and a deforming head, comprising, in com. ly return to their respective inoperative or idle posibination,

tions.

3. Device for setting tubular rivets by pulling into the interior of the rivet a deforming member having an elongated shank and a deforming head, comprising, in combination,

(a) tubular body means terminating at its forward end (a) tubular body means terminating at its forward end in a hollow nose portion adapted to be pressed against the rivet while accommodating at least a portion of the deforming member, and having an open rear end; I

(b) a combined clamping and pulling member longiin a hollow nose portion adapted to be pressed against the rivet while accommodatting at least a portion of the shank of the deforming member, and having an open rear end;

tudinally movable inside said tubular body means from an idle forward position toward a more rearward operative position, and comprising jaw means near said nose portion adapted to accommodate a (b) a Combined Clamping and Pulling member longiportion of said shank of said deforming member ttldinally moVable inside Said tubular body means when said combined member is in said idle position, from all idle forward Position toward a more rearsaid jaw means comprising a plurality of concentric Ward operative Position, and Comprising laW means jaws each having an outside conical surface portion near said hose Portion adapted to accommodate a cooperating with an inner conical surface portion of Portiol1 of said shank of Said deforming member 60 said combined member, said jaws automatically when said combined member is in said idle position Clamping Said shank portion when said combined and autornatieally Clamping said sha-ilk Portion When member is moved toward said operative position so Said Combined member is moved toward said oPerathat said inner conical surface portion causes radial tiVe Position, and iirst biasing means for urging norinward movement of said jaws so that said inner conimally Said COmbined member into said idle position; G5 cal surface portion causes radial inward movement (c) rotary drive means including a head member coof said jaws, rst biasing means for urging normally axial with said tubular body means and rotatable in said combined member into said idle position, and one predetermined direction; auxiliary biasing means for normally urging said jaws (d) nut-and-screw drive transmisison means connecting to move in radial outward direction into engagement said rotatable head member with said combined with said inner conical surface of said comblned clamping and pulling member, said drive transmismember; sion means including a threaded spindle rigidly at- (c) rotary drive means including a head member cotached in coaxial position to said combined clampaxial with said tubular body means and rotatable in ing and pulling member, and nut means mounted in one predetermined direction;

(d) nut-and-screw drive transmission means connecting said rotatable head member With said combined clamping and pulling member, said drive transmission means including a threaded spindle rigidly attached in coaxial position to said combined clamping said conical end portions said nut portions to tilt and pulling member, and nut means mounted in said and to engage said spindle and thereby said clamping rotatable head member, said nut means being cornand pulling member is moved from its idle toward posed of a plurality of threaded nut portions hingedly its operative position whereby iirst said 'shank of the supported at one end in said head member and each deforming member is gripped by said clamping i, being tiltably movable between an operative posi- 10 means and thereafter said shank is pulled until the Y d" tion in which said threaded nut portions are in threaded engagement with said threaded spindle, and an inoperative position in which said nut portions are out of engagement with said spindle, and second bias- 8 hollow nose portion and pressure is applied in axial directionto said rotary drive means while said rotary head member is being rotated, rst said inner conical surface of said annular member causes by acting on rivet is sufficiently deformed and thus set, and said shank is severed from the deforming member Whereafter said combined member and said nut portions automatically return to their respective inoperative or idle positions.

5. Device for settting tubular rivets according to claim 4 wherein a ball thrust-bearing is interposed between a portion of said tubular body means and said annular member which controls the closure of said nut portions.

6. Device for setting tubular rivets according to claim 4 wherein said head member has an extended portion adapted to be tted in the nose of a portable drilling`y machine Which is intended to effect the rotary drive of said head member.

ing means for normally urging said nut portions into said'inoperative position, said nut portions having each a partly conical end portion opposite to said one end thereof; and

(e) transmission control means arranged in operative connection with said nut means for moving said nut portions into said operative position thereof Whenever pressure in axial direction is applied to said rotary drive means While said nose portion is being pressed against the rivet, said transmission control means comprising an annular member surrounding said threaded spindle and having an inner conical hollow actuating surface surrounding said conical References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS end portions of said nut portions, said annular mem- 2,400,354 Jensen May 14, 1946 ber being supported in said tubular body means 2,893,276 Quacksnbush July 7, 1959 against pressure in axial forward direction but free 2,965,258 wilson Dsc. 2o, 1960 to rotate in said body means so that when the shank 3,002,644 Meyer Oct. 3, 1961 of a deforming member of a rivet is engaged in said 3,028,987 Van Hecke Apr. 10, 1962 

1. DEVICE FOR SETTING TUBULAR RIVETS BY PULLING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE RIVET A DEFORMING MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED SHANK AND A DEFORMING HEAD, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) TUBULAR BODY MEANS TERMINATING AT ITS FORWARD END IN A HOLLOW NOSE PORTION ADAPTED TO BE PRESSED AGAINST THE RIVET WHILE ACCOMMODATING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE SHANK OF THE DEFORMING MEMBER, AND HAVING AN OPEN REAR END; (B) A COMBINED CLAMPING AND PULLING MEMBER LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE INSIDE SAID TUBULAR BODY MEANS FROM AN IDLE FORWARD POSITION TOWARD A MORE REARWARD OPERATIVE POSITION, AND COMPRISING JAW MEANS NEAR SAID NOSE PORTION ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE A PORTION OF SAID SHANK OF SAID DEFORMING MEMBER WHEN SAID COMBINED MEMBER IS IN SAID IDLE POSITION AND AUTOMATICALLY CLAMPING SAID SHANK PORTION WHEN SAID COMBINED MEMBER IS MOVED TOWARD SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, AND FIRST BIASING MEANS FOR URGING NORMALLY SAID COMBINED MEMBER INTO SAID IDLE POSITION; (C) ROTARY DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A HEAD MEMBER COAXIAL WITH SAID TUBULAR BODY MEANS AND ROTATABLE IN ONE PREDETERMINED DIRECTION; (D) NUT-AND-SCREW DRIVE TRANSMISSION MEANS CONNECTING SAID ROTATABLE HEAD MEMBER WITH SAID COMBINED CLAMPING AND PULLING MEMBER, SAID DRIVE TRANSMISSION MEANS INCLUDING A THREADED SPINDLE RIGIDLY ATTACHED IN AXIAL POSITION TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, AND NUT MEANS MOUNTED IN THE OTHER ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID NUT MEANS BEING COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF THREADED NUT PORTIONS EACH MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID THREADED NUT PORTIONS ARE IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID THREADED 